PLEASE READ THIS FIRST!Before pressing ‘Start’, please read this introduction to the audio tour. You may also listen to it if you wish. Simply scroll to the end of the introduction and click on the pictogram to start the audio version. The introduction briefly tells you why Dutch Mennonites came to the Zulawy region and explains how to use the audio tour.Tip 1Make sure your phone is fully charged. Tip 2Don’t forget to look at the pictures we added at the tour stops.Tip 3If for some reason the directions in this tour are off, please follow the blue line on your screen. And please, email us so we can make adjustments: info@dutchheritageworldtours.nl Thank you! Introduction This audio tour is centered around the presence of Dutch-Polish Mennonites who once lived in the Zulawy area. Contact between Gdansk and the Netherlands dates back to the Middle Ages. Merchants from Dutch cities came to this most important trading city at the Baltic Sea and purchased various goods including Polish grain here. In the 16th century, Mennonites fleeing religious persecution in the Netherlands and northern areas of Germany settled in Gdansk and the neighboring Zulawy. Famous for their industriousness and ability to develop land below sea level, they contributed to the draining of the Zulawy Gdanskie region that had been destroyed by floods in the 1640s, and the development of villages here. They also soon spread to the Zulawy Malbork and Elblag areas. They distinguished themselves from other inhabitants of the Vistula delta by their modest lifestyle and widespread pacifism. While Mennonites were allowed to live freely in the rural areas belonging to Gdansk, they were initially hindered from settling in the city itself. The Lutheran residents of the city on the Motlawa River viewed the newcomers from the Netherlands not only as people who differed in religion, but above all as economic competitors. For this reason, only a few Mennonites managed to settle and conduct activities in Gdańsk. Among them was Ambrosius Vermeulen, the creator of the famous liquor – Goldwasser. The situation for the Mennonites in Gdansk improved in the 19th century. This tour begins at the Mennonite church, 2a Mennonite Street in Gdansk. Press Start now and enjoy your trip!